UJobe 31

1 Ngenza isivumelwano lamehlo ami; pho ngingananzelela njani intombi?

"I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?

2 Ngoba siyini isabelo sikaNkulunkulu esivela phezulu, lelifa likaSomandla elivela endaweni eziphezulu?

For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from Shaddai on high?

3 Incithakalo kayisiyomubi yini, lengozi yabenzi bobubi?

Is it not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for evildoers?

4 Yena kaziboni yini indlela zami, abale zonke izinyathelo zami?

Doesn't he see my ways, and number all my steps?

5 Uba ngihambe ngokuyize, kumbe unyawo lwami luphuthumele enkohlisweni,

"If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit

6 kangilinganise ngesilinganiso esilungileyo, ukuze uNkulunkulu azi ubuqotho bami.

(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);

7 Uba inyathelo lami liphambukile endleleni, lenhliziyo yami yalandela amehlo ami, kumbe kunamathele isici ezandleni zami;

if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,

8 kangihlanyele, kodwa kudle omunye, lezilimo zami zisitshulwe.

then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

9 Uba inhliziyo yami iyengwe ngowesifazana, kumbe ngacathama emnyango kamakhelwane wami,

"If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,

10 umkami kacholele omunye, labanye kabaguqe phezu kwakhe.

then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.

11 Ngoba lokho kuyinkohlakalo, njalo kuyisono ngabahluleli.

For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:

12 Ngoba ngumlilo odla kuze kube yincithakalo, usiphule sonke isivuno sami.

For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

13 Uba ngalile udaba lwenceku yami loba olwencekukazi yami, lapho ziphikisana lami,

"If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me;

14 pho ngizakwenzani lapho uNkulunkulu esukuma? Lalapho esethekela, ngizaphendulani kuye?

What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?

15 Lowo owangenza esiswini kamenzanga yena yini, lowasibumba esiswini munye?

Did not he who made me in the womb make him? Did not the same one fashion us in the womb?

16 Uba ngigodlele umyanga isifiso, kumbe ngifiphaze amehlo omfelokazi,

"If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 kumbe ngadla ucezu lwami ngedwa, ukuze intandane ingadli kulo

or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it

18 (ngoba kwasebutsheni bami yakhula lami nginjengoyise, ngamqondisa kusukela esizalweni sikamama),

(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, her have I guided from my mother's womb);

19 uba ngabona obhubha ngenxa yokuswela isigqoko, loba umyanga engelasembatho,

if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;

20 uba inkalo zakhe zingangibusisanga, ngoba ekhudunyezwe yiboya bezimvu zami,

if his heart hasn't blessed me, if he hasn't been warmed with my sheep's fleece;

21 uba ngaphakamisa isandla sami ngimelene lentandane, lapho ngabona usizo lwami esangweni,

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,

22 kaliwe ihlombe lami esiphangeni sami, lengalo yami iqamuke ethanjeni layo.

then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

23 Ngoba incithakalo kaNkulunkulu yayiyisesabiso kimi, ngingenelisi ngenxa yobukhulu bakhe.

For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing.

24 Uba ngenzile igolide laba lithemba lami, ngathi kugolide elihle: Themba lami.

"If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, 'You are my confidence;'

25 Uba ngithokozile ngoba inotho yami inengi, langoba isandla sami sithole okunengi;

If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

26 uba ngikhangele ilanga lapho libenyezela, loba inyanga ehamba enkazimulweni,

if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,

27 lenhliziyo yami yayengwa ensitha, kumbe isandla sami sange umlomo wami,

and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28 lalokho yisiphambeko phambi kwabehluleli, ngoba ngabe ngimphikile uNkulunkulu waphezulu.

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have denied the God who is above.

29 Uba ngithokozile ngokuchitheka kongizondayo, kumbe ngajabula lapho ububi bumthola;

"If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him;

30 njalo ngingavumelanga umlomo wami ukuthi wone, ngokucela umphefumulo wakhe ngesiqalekiso;

(yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);

31 uba abantu bethente lami bebengatshongo ukuthi: Hawu, aluba besilokwenyama yakhe, ngabe kasisuthanga.

if the men of my tent have not said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?'

32 Owemzini kazanga alale esitaladeni; iminyango yami ngayivulela isihambi.

(the foreigner has not lodged in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);

33 Uba ngasibekela iziphambeko zami njengoAdamu, ngokufihla isono sami esifubeni sami.

if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

34 Ngoba ngethuswa lixuku elikhulu, lokudelelwa ngabensendo kwangesabisa, ngakho ngathula, kangaze ngaphuma emnyango.

because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and did not go out of the door—

35 Kungathi ngabe ngilongangizwa! Khangelani uphawu lwami. Kungathi uSomandla angangiphendula, lokuthi ophikisana lami ngabe ubhale ugwalo!

oh that I had one to hear me. (look, here is my signature, let Shaddai answer me); let the accuser write my indictment.

36 Isibili, bengingaluthwala ehlombe lami, ngilubophe lube ngumqhele kimi.

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; and I would bind it to me as a crown.

37 Ngimtshele inani lezinyathelo zami, ngisondele kuye njengesiphathamandla.

I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.

38 Uba umhlaba wami ukhalile ngami, lemifolo yawo ililile ndawonye,

If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;

39 uba ngidlile amandla awo kungelamali, kumbe ngenza umphefumulo wabaniniwo uphele,

if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,

40 kakuhlume ukhula oluhlabayo endaweni yengqoloyi, lokhula olunukayo endaweni yebhali. Amazwi kaJobe asephelile.

let briars grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.